I remember when I was starting college, one of the first things I wanted to do was get a simple part time job. I believed it to be the normal thing to do when being a full time student. Never in a million years would I have thought I actually would end up being a full time student with a full time job. Although being a double full timer is definitely as hard as it sounds, it is completely doable when you set your mind right.
Four things I have learned from the complete insanity of being double full time are:
Time Management:
Although you probably feel like college in general has taught you time management, once you add work to the mix life becomes a giant game of it. Being a double full timer has taught me not only how to combine my work and class schedules to go well together, but also how to use my free time, such as my work lunch breaks, to complete class assignments or study.
Prioritizing:
When you have so much going on it becomes easy to lose track of what is truly important to you. Although you may stumble a few times in the beginning, as soon as you set your priorities straight the tasks you have to complete to reach your goal not only become easier but also less stressful.
Write EVERYTHING Down:
I was once upon a time one of those people that would never write down anything and just say “I got this” to everything I got told had to be done. Nope. Horrible idea. One of the biggest things I have learned from this double dull time experience is to make sure to write everything down (or set reminders on your phone). Assignments, appointments, meetings, even weekend plans!
Appreciating The Small Things:
Spending time with your family and friends, getting a full eight hours of sleep, and just having time to just sit and do nothing becomes rare when you spend most of your time working and in school. You learn how to appreciate all these simple everyday things, time becomes more valuable to you than money, memories become more cherished, and good laughs last longer.
Becoming a double full timer was definitely a change for me, it felt like I was being thrown into the deep end of the adulting pool without knowing how to swim, but it has been a great life learning experience.